Senate Bill 918 aims to update the statutes regarding the state public defender by eliminating outdated provisions related to their term of office and removal process. Specifically, the bill removes the exception for the state public defender who was in office as of July 1, 1980, which previously allowed for different terms and removal procedures. The amendments to sections 977.03 (1) and 977.05 (1) and (2) of the statutes streamline the language to reflect current practices, ensuring that the state public defender serves at the pleasure of the board without the need for a specified term or special removal conditions.

The bill's changes include the deletion of references to a five-year term for the state public defender and the removal process that was contingent on the defender's term beginning before July 1, 1980. By removing these obsolete provisions, the legislation seeks to clarify the role and authority of the state public defender, aligning it with contemporary legal standards and practices as recommended by the State Public Defender and the Law Revision Committee.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 977.03(1), 977.03, 977.05(1), 977.05, 977.05(2)